Hocus Pocus
by DesperatelyObsessive
Summary: In this Universe, you are a part of an elite travelling group of freaks. You'll see horrors unimaginable, and true love unfold before your eyes. The magic is real, the emotions are raw, and the angst has reached boiling point. All the characters are going to present, there's going to be a lot of mature material of varying degrees, and it's going to be a long ass story. Jump in.
1. The Beginning of Introductions

Your name for the moment is Karkat fucking Vantas. You pray you won't have to redo this whole charade again, pretending to be a flip book character and not a real person. Like your feelings didn't matter compared to the masses. The fourth wall has been broken in the first paragraph, meaning this story has to have the highest potential. You should stop sassing the author by now, and be a good actor. They guarantee the rest of the story won't be so drudgingly awful, but just like Act 1, introductions need to be made.

You are the Ring Leader. You have many nicknames, each more disturbing to you than the next. For humor's sake you'll supply an example; The Pale Inferno, Bloody Mary, Skelletor, and as of late Casper. When you were born to this forsaken world lack of any pigment besides your blazing red eyes, you never expected it to turn into such a fiasco. The experiments, the needles, all the damn blood work. Albino mammals weren't so uncommon, and you loathed the sight of your body fluids so much you often ended up unconscious in the chair whenever they tried doing transfusions. That's what made you the Freak Leader.

Sitting in the sweltering hot tent you curse quietly, wondering why you couldn't book a venue like usual. It was seldom you actually had to bust the tents out- but this region did like color and excess. The show tonight had been a blast, fucking perfect as usual, if only the spider queen didn't need to go get all hungry mid performance and pop the contortionist's arm out of his socket, claiming it was an accident. They were a bunch of heathens really, and you hated playing care taker. But there were some merits- like how as soon as that thought enter your head a pair of long spindly arms snuck from behind your chair to hug you tight.

Before you let him into this freak show, you would have jumped and screamed. You would have broken him in two. Would have, but you know this man now. The biggest freak of them all that certainly didn't have your heart on his sleeve like a trophy. And then, impressively fast, he was already trying to make a move even though you clearly told him you were not looking for a relationship. Never had and never would, because real love didn't exist. Especially not now.

You remember you're mad at him and push him off, not bothering to turn to look at him. "Aw Boss, what I up and done now?" He laughed, LAUGHED like every thing was one big fucking joke. Clowns. "You FUCKED her, that's what you up and did. And I found her ass half naked and dumped in the dressing room like a used rubber. You were never very good at covering your tracks." And then it was quiet. Blissfully you sighed, thinking he was gone, until you heard the utterly pathetic whisper; "You gonna fire me?"

You should have said yes. Should have. "No, I'm just a little upset. I'll forgive you, you dumb ass, just like always, but this won't be forgotten." Why did your mouth have to be so damn big? There he was, back to hugging you and kissing on your neck, like nothing you said even mattered. He was getting to be way too damn pushy with this stuff, and your impulse was to slap him. You always followed your impulses. And he just stared at you, and you saw that rage dwelling down in his dark purplish eyes, making your stomach flip.

"You know it's cute and all that you wait for true motherfucking love, but I've been all kinds of patient. I wouldn't have to fuck sluts if you weren't such a motherfucking prude, just like your damn brother." And then he left. He left you sitting there, jaw practically on the floor, eyes wide as plates. You were NOTHING like your older brother. How DARE that clown. You might just hold his pay now. This was a circus, not a god damn soap opera, and you were going to remind him what business meant. Not because you held grudges or anything.

Now your name is Aradia Megido. It's a doozy to go by order like this, but you think you can manage to follow up after the ring leader just fine. After all they do call you Casper too, along with many other things. But you like it. You like damn near everything here, and every day is another adventure. Just like today. It was amazing how many people were amazed by magic- if that's what you could call it. They always assumed there was a trap door or some hoax, but everything here was real. Not that you'd prove it.

Since you were young you could pull your atoms apart at will, and just… "Poof". It was fun and all until your parents gave up on you, and tried taking you away somewhere. You were so young you hardly remember, but you disappeared and never went back. Now here you were celebrated, you could party every night and no one thought it was weird when you decided you were done and suddenly weren't there anymore. And then there was the whole reason you stayed, like a moth to a flame.

But the light technician, dreamy as he was, was hired to put the spot light on everyone. He didn't notice you. It was hard, and so you might have flirted with his friends, but what was a girl supposed to do? You weren't as bad as the other Asian slut, but your heart was lonely. This was a circus, not a dating site, but you couldn't help it. You had a really big heart, or something. If only the other tech didn't pant and heave every time you walked by, then you could at least make it.

Not that it matters, because you're now Tavros Nitram and you couldn't give a shit if you tried. You're lying in your tent with your arm in a sling because that BITCH got you again, and you can't believe you sit here in your twenties and still don't have her figured out. You met young, an unfortunate destiny, while your parents put you in a specialist hospital for general child abnormalities. They said you made the dog attack your mom, and while you did, you were only four. How could you have really known?

She was a freak. A real one. She had looked pretty normal at first, a pretty little girl with cute glasses that made her eyes all big like a bug's. Then you realized one pupil was deformed, and she had a pair of arms crossed over her chest and clasped behind her back. You were four, and you loved her. She grabbed the back of your head and bashed your face into the table. That was the first time she broke your neck.

If you could count all the times she broke your bones you would be a mathematical genius, but you supposed you could thank her for it. It was odd how your body could create joints between broken bones, a genetic anomaly you never understood. She did it to keep you with her, and you weren't really mad. But you liked to pretend you were, just to make her apologize before taking it out on her face. You were the contortionist here at this fine circus, and you weren't the same little push over you were as a child. This place changed people.

Unless you were now Sollux Captor, which you are. You never changed, unless it was your mood. Your interests and actions were pretty steadfast, but you happiness came and ebbed like a wave. The wave crashing over your life repeatedly, each and every day, punching you in the face and pulling your hair and fucking you senseless. You did this for the money, besides the fact that the ring leader was a pretty legit guy. And you liked working lights and surveillance anyway. But then those two evil little freaks had to come join, and everything went to hell.

They were too cute and close to be cousins. But they fought like family, so you bought into it. And you always wondered why they weren't together, until the magician noticed you eyeing up his assistant at a cast party. You'd never had a fight like that, and never had a man throw you against the ground and start kissing you right after trying to pound your face in. How you hadn't seen it earlier you would never know, but this guy was gayer than the pony boy who took care of the animals after hours, and that was saying something.

But it couldn't be so easy. His little cousin had seen you staring too, and she liked it. She liked you. A whole lot. You couldn't say no to her, sneaking around with her, and one night she even told you the secret of their act. Of course the only hoax in the whole circus would be that fake ass hipster magician, because his cousin had been gifted with fully functioning gills. They were beautiful and let her remain chained up in his dunk tank for as long as she needed to trigger the release at just the right time for the magician's "spell". Her kindness consumed you, his flamboyance and false confidence invigorated you. There wasn't a way to choose, you'd always been split down the middle. This was a circus, and you didn't have a funhouse. But you sure were seeing double.

As Kanaya Maryam, you now sit in the back dressing room hemming a torn sleeve for the Spider Queen. You loathe her, as she uses you nonstop. It wasn't your fault you were born with this addiction to women's asses, and you growl to yourself as you think of all the times that slut teased you into a favor even though you knew she was a taken straight girl. But then again, you knew a thing or two about straight girls, and that was that they never really wanted to be alone no matter who they had to abuse to remain feeling wanted.

So you fixed her costume because you were paid to be the seamstress, but you wouldn't do anything else. Besides, you needed to forget about those long hot legs, because you had a much bigger crush to deal with. She was the sun and the stars to you, nothing but towering hot blonde dominatrix written all over her whenever you looked at her. She could make these predictions that scared you, way too good at telling the future to not be gifted. She would go catatonic some nights, speaking in tongues, and she let you take care of her. Only you. She was gorgeous like that; a black witch bubbling with some sort of aura that you knew was old as time and dimensionless. You kissed her once, when she passed out after a particularly violent fit, and never told her. You were one lovesick costumer, and she was too vastly superior to ever be yours. Even if you acted tough, you think she probably even knows. But when she calls you her moon, you know she has to be joking. You can't be a witch's muse, you can't be her destined familiar, you can't be any of the shit she says. Even if this is a circus, and she is a fortune telling witch, you can't believe it.

But as far as the love and relationships of this place go, you need to be Nepeta Leijon to understand anything. Like how your partner's daughter is a total lesbian and a total freaky accurate witch who was destined to be with the seamstress. You knew, because her mom could see the future just as clear- when she stopped drinking. Which she hardly ever did, for a reason. Sometimes you didn't want to know anything about the evils of the world that wasn't necessary.

You love this pretty dumb blonde, and you were going to be by her side for a very long time. It wasn't as intense as the crush you had on the ring leader at first, and you still hadn't told her because the chase was most of the fun. Besides, she'd already said she could never see herself with a woman. You wish she'd spend a day sober and really think about it, and know for a fact what the future held. Because you knew different. You knew there was no way a woman like that could stick her hand in your pussy the first day they met and not be after your heart- And you meant your lion, Ponce de Leon, by the way. This was again, a circus. You were a lion tamer and she was your tamer, and as much as she liked cats you knew she had to love you. She had to.

As far as train wrecks go, you are probably the furthest off the rails right now. Your name is Terezi Pyrope, and you wake up in your tent with an ache in your ass something fierce and the distinct knowledge of what you've done. It's slutty and awful, but it was damn good. You shouldn't go fucking men who beat you, but there's something about the violent way he pulls your hair and beats you for breaking his little fake boyfriend's heart. You don't care why he's into you, as long as he is in you.

Besides, you're just here for the safety. You can't see the traditional way, but what you do see is enough to get you killed. You can read anyone's mind, and your ability of prediction is unsurpassed. It isn't constant, it takes effort, and it makes you tired. But it's worth it, to blow the pants off an audience waiting for the secret to be revealed. The only secret was there was no secret. Deep stuff there.

But you can't help but hate yourself, because you did fuck up pretty bad. You had liked him, honestly. You weren't leading him on, until that blonde vixen strolled up to do the sound board and thought you were the hottest thing he'd ever seen. That was probably the start. When he realized you didn't want a relationship, just wanted the friction… The ring leader withdrew his favoritism like a spring. He probably deserve better anyway, you thought. This circus may be a lot of things, but it wasn't a church and you weren't looking for marriage here. It was seedy and raw and that's how you liked it, and he needed to wake up.

He needed to wake up, because you're now Vriska Serket and referring to your broken toy passed out in his sorry bed. You were full of such raw evil, had seen more hate than half the people here, and had drug him into your web with you. You had been abused, tormented, picked apart just like a spider. You were a gorgeous girl and you knew it, if not for your fucked up eye and extra limb. You resented everything that didn't like, and absolutely hated the one thing who did because he had to be lying.

But when he sleeps so peacefully you can remember the boy you met in that hospital, the cute little thing who had looked at you with such shock that first day you had to beat him. You didn't know how in love you both really were, had no clue he'd looked at you like that because he thought you were heaven-sent. You didn't talk, you fought and you fucked and that's what there was. But every night during your trapeze act, when you work as a team to do things with your bodies no one else could even comprehend, you know it's meant to be on some level. If you could open up, maybe there'd be peace. But this was a war that started long before the circus, and you weren't sure if you were ready to tell the truth and wave the white flag. He was a dumb brat and whined too much. Way too scrawny and never took his show seriously. But you were madly in love with him.

Until you become Equius Zahhak, and are a confused mess with no dedication like the majority of the freaks here. Your brain is split between still trying to win over that sweet energetic vanishing girl, and giving in to the stable boy who's been fucking with you for far too long. You know with the girl you'll have a quick victory, a short fling, and then go back to your life. With the stable boy, there are complications. Like his abs, and brilliant sunny eyes. He knows how to help you fix the trucks and mechanics, set up the tents and concessions, and is always the first to be there helping you every night. He flirts with you, but you know it can't be real. He's fucking the head of security and everyone knows it, because he's screaming his name every night.

But everyone knows the head of security is fucking the concession manager, and he thinks he's getting away with it. You feel bad for Ponyboy because he deserves better. That's the thing- you have real feelings for him. You could love him. If you let him get into your heart you'd be letting a taken man have control over you, and you can't allow that. Mainly, your best friend won't allow it. The lion tamer was way too spunky and protective to let anyone hurt you. You're a sweaty manly man of a mechanic, and this is a frilly fabulous circus, but you'll be damned if you let the lights dazzle you into thinking a pretty boy like that could ever like you that much.

Next in the motherfucking line up is the despicable creature introduced earlier, slinking from your boss's tent feeling all kinds of wrong. Why do you have to go and open your big mouth? You know you love him, you know he needs to love you, but you have to keep doing these sick things to torture him like revenge really matters. You should just tell him, but you're afraid. Because words are never enough.

You lead the clown trio, finding solace in their company. The other two have been lovers for so long they readily welcome the spice you bring to their bed, but it's nothing. Them, the psychic, hell, you've fucked half this circus. And none of it ever mattered, because it wasn't satisfying. It wasn't him. And you hate that you've fallen for him, because you used to love the meaningless hook ups and drug induced comas. He's had you sober for over a month, a deep depression and rage bubbling up inside. You didn't want to do anything but burn this place down, and then you remember why he doesn't want you. Why he's still hung up on that stupid whore you'll never know, but you're going to turn around and go right back to her tent, right back to splitting her open, because there's no one else more worthy of being your human fleshlight tonight than that vacuous little witch. You're a clown alright, but there's nothing funny about the look on your face or the worn down club you use to beat her on the regular. One day you're going to really lose it, and then who the hell knows what'll become of this place. If only he would let you in.

And even as Eridan Ampora, infamous dud magician, you feel that. If only he would let you in, you could push your dumb cousin right out. She is always taking your things, and you've almost had it. Besides, anyone could tell that twiggy nerd needed a strong tall prince to come toss his salad. He just didn't want her heart getting broken. Besides, he was never very good at sharing, even if she wanted to share everything.

But there's a secret you have that you won't be telling anyone. Only the blonde fortune teller knows, because she's directly involved. You know that the seamstress is catching on, and starting to loathe you. She knows you aren't interested that way, but you're taking up the time she could be spending with the blonde and she doesn't like it. You need to watch her, because she could be dangerous. But the blonde is teaching you real magic, something you didn't think could be possible. She's going to make you powerful. She said it only takes allegiance with the right power, even if she won't share her source yet. Not till you can prove yourself.

You were the world's shittiest magician, and now you can summon bunnies from a hat and make money appear out of thin air. Maybe they are just stupid party tricks, but the thing is, you know it's real. You know there's no rabbit until you will it into creation, and the fact that she has done this for you is immeasurable. You have no clue that in this circus, dark magic runs rampant, and she's preparing herself to use a spell to summon things much more special than a bunny's soul.

And lastly, grand finale (for today) you are Feferi Peixes. You love this circus, these people in it, and you're so very glad you signed in and donated your fortune to their cause. You've come so far, are almost known globally, and there's no denying how many fans you all have. You're making a change, making a good name for freak shows again, not just flashy production circuses that run on fantasy. No one sees you as more than a pretty girl with your bathing suit on, but the gashes in your sides and the flippers you were born with remind you constantly how abnormal you are. But then there's that tech, that beautiful boy with all his demons, after you and your cousin.

Soon you know the magician will come around and you'll work as a team, and the idea excites you endlessly. The poor boy deserved two loves; he'd had enough heartache anyway. And you would love to share a lover with your cousin, because he is your everything. You fight sure, but he is your right hand. He can do no wrong in your eyes, as for now. But this circus is a crazy mess, running off the rails, about to implode. You don't know he's going to stab your back, you don't know any of the behind the scenes conspiracies. And worst of all, none of you know that your manager has just signed a contract allowing the devil to sponsor your fine show.


	2. The Bridge of Introductions

Your name is now John Egbert. This is take two of a three part introduction segment, before the real fun starts, and you understand your purpose. You're that amazing flying boy they shoot out of a cannon, because it takes nothing but a fake pop and you'll go shooting. You can't remember when you learned you could fly, but you just can. And it's fucking awesome. That aside, you have it in pretty good with the ring leader and even if your relationship was shaky at first he kept you living posh.

You had met him back stage after attending one of his shows, in awe and in cahoots with your old friend who happened to work the sound board here. The ring leader had been drunk, and entirely convinced your friend was just trying to give him another prostitute. Apparently the sound tech had a bet going with the lights and production tech to see who could get their ring leader's cherry popped first. You soon realized this was an ongoing joke around here, and learned to forgive him for having thrown you against his desk and kissed you. Honestly it wasn't that bad. But you totally weren't homo.

In all honesty, you were probably the only one in the place NOT obsessed with romance. You were fine by yourself, really, and didn't need a companion. Even if that foxy momma working with the lion tamer kind of caught your eye, you figured she was out of your league. Not only that, but she intimidated the fuck out of you. No, there was no need to chase that. This was a circus, and she was the key bimbo, and you were a nerdy fruit. You couldn't get her to look your way if you tried.

Being Dave Strider, the only way you looked was towards your best friend and his ungodly hot sister. When they passed the entrance test you could have pissed yourself, but you luckily had years of experience keeping it cool. That was one of your happiest days working here, and you were grateful you got over your grudge with the boss for having fucked his wannabe girlfriend. Now you were good friends, and he gave you what you wanted. And while making the music scores was awesome and all, nothing was better than partying with his friends. Where do you think he got that super awesome witch and her hot mom from? They attracted people like flies.

The problem was the fact that while you loved the sharp shooter and she loved you, you still had the half of you that couldn't stop thinking about her brother. Even though he was a flying freakshow in glittering blue spandex, he wasn't a smidge into men, or so he kept saying. But you weren't the only predator interested, and the more that trapeze hoe-bag fought with her little contortionist slave and the closer she grew to your friend in response the more furious you were. Why couldn't you live in a world where you could have both?

As the sharp shooter Jade Harley, you weren't oblivious to the way your boyfriend had a wandering eye. Yes he looked at other women and men alike, and yes you had caught on to the fact his flirting with your brother wasn't entirely a joke. And yet, you were perfectly fine with it. As a matter of fact, you knew the perfect thing to fix this situation, if you ever got the balls to do it. This was of course a metaphor, but you were no fortune teller. All you thought was that maybe you needed to be spicier.

But it was hard to focus on him when there was so much to do. You had to practice every day to get your aim so spot on, and the security chief was always hounding you about your technique. You adored his advice, and looked up to him like a father figure, even if he was a little shady. And then there was the fortune telling witch, who was almost a sister, confiding in you every detail of her hijinks. Between her gossip and fighting off the crazily possessive girl she was toying around with, it was hard for you to find your own time. You hardly had the time to take care of him too.

Just as you begin to despair over how you're going to keep him interested, it doesn't matter. You flip the script and become Rose Lalonde, one of the key players around here causing more mayhem than most would like to admit. It's always been easy for you to get into people's heads, one way or another. You were certainly one of the strongest here currently, but you had to do things for that power most simply were too afraid to do. Conspiring with demons for one, in the tongues of a tomb long lost and forgotten. No one had believed it was more than fiction, anyway.

Then you met her. She was the most gorgeous thing you had ever seen, and she made your blood boil. Her skin was dark ebony and her short hair silky and divine. She had deep emerald eyes that made you melt and she was oblivious to how you felt. You knew she worshipped you like a goddess and you loved the attention, but weren't ready to give in yet. It was fun teasing her, toying with her, making her into your perfect companion. You already knew one day she would be yours, but only after having made a sacrifice that would cost her her freedom. If you couldn't make her trust you fast enough, she might resent you. You only wanted to protect these people, and you certainly wanted her safe, but you knew the relative evil headed your way and didn't know if you could keep from breaking. You didn't want to be weak like your mother.

Whom you now are, stretched out in the lion's cage drunk off your ass. Being Roxy Lalonde is no easy thing, even with your killer body and great personality. Even if you're best friends with a lioness and her human cub, even if you seem happy and care free and like everybody's "it" girl all the time. The truth is you only agreed because it got you closer to him, and you had to be stupid and fall in love before even reading the warning signs all over those designer jeans.

And even worse, his boyfriend had to be a cheat. But did the stable boy ever turn to you? Ever break it off? No. He and the concession girl both let the idiot chief of security play them, like he was their king. He wasn't even that good looking. To you it was getting disgusting, and you might just swear off the whole male sex and start forcing yourself to get used to women. Besides, you think you might have a chance with the cute lion tamer, and she probably would get you used to it pretty fast.

However, now that you're Jane Crocker, you completely understand a necessary patience. You know he means it when he says he loves you, and know he'll leave the stable boy soon. He had too. He was older now, he wanted things like a family. He told you constantly how different and better you were, and even if he was a bit of an asshole, you could forgive him. As long as he made true on that promise, and married you one day. He had said he would, and you believed him.

Your job was always to run the concessions, and your circus treats were so tasty they even launched a brand of their own. The money helped make the circus what it was today, and you had no clue that all the money you had helped make was gone. You were good with business, even if the manager never let you into the plans. Maybe you could have helped him prevent the mass theft that left your establishment broke.

As Dirk Strider, you stand out in the horse tents tending to the animals. You see your friend asleep with one of the big cats, and leave her be. Ponce couldn't hurt a fly, she was with the lion tamer from infancy. The woman had even bottle fed the poor baby. You felt bad for her assistant, you did, but you thought you made it pretty obvious you were only into men. After all, the chief of security had caught on pretty fast and was usually pretty dim.

He had come up and stole your heart like it was his job, all bravado and big talk. You had never loved a man more, until he went and broke your heart. He was never a good liar, and you knew from the very first time he cheated. You didn't want to give in, and you'd let him deal with this until he had the guts to man up and break up with you himself. But when he did, you were already prepared, and already ready to move on.

The blue eyed brunette who came to replace him was nothing like the security chief. The mechanic was gentle and liked to be submissive, often following your orders with no problem. With gratitude, even. And even if he had his skewed views on some of the hierarchical ideals of this world, you knew you were brought here to find him, not the other guy. You just didn't know how you were going to get him to take his eyes off that dumb Asian bitch he'd been crushing on since before he knew you existed.

And then, as Jake English, you're sitting all alone, reflecting and whining to yourself as usual. You never seem to know how you get so down on luck, even though the karma you're putting out is horrendous. You know you're a coward, you know you're doing the concession mistress wrong by not being loyal, but there just doesn't seem to be a way out. Until he offers you one. From the edge of the tents, a figure approaches, and soon another follows. You aren't well acquainted with the ring leader so you're not sure what to do when the boy asks to speak with your leader.

Something about the pair unnerves you. Perhaps the fact their faces are wrapped in scarves. You ask for them to show their faces, and are astounded by the one's compliancy. A female it seemed from her big eyes and slight curvature, but something about her was all wrong. Then the other removed his hood, and you had no clue what you were looking at. They were almost completely identical; except one had green eyes and the other had dark red. They were bald and covered in some type of tribal design, definitely not normal nor native to this land. They said their boss had sent them to play surveyor to his belongings. You didn't understand, but you took them to the ring leader anyway. You saw a few people staring as you guided them through, pissed as the male constantly berated you and called you names. He was an unpleasant person. And as you sat and tried to overhear the conversation they had with your boss, you heard one thing clear enough to chill you to the bone.

Kankri Vantas, General Manager and owner, was no longer anything but a shareholder. He had sold you out, and a new proprietor was calling the shots. These were his spies for the most part, to keep his investment in check. You didn't know much about the younger Vantas, but the way he screamed that night could only mean hell for his older brother.


End file.
